Sweat

A detailed Summary of Sweat

In Zora Neale Hurston’s short story, Sweat, Delia finds herself stuck in an unbearable marriage. Her husband, Sykes, mistreats her, leaves all work to her, and is unfaithful. After being married to Sykes for 15 years, Delia has lost all hope in the marriage. The countless beatings and painful acts of Sykes have brought her over the edge. She is forced to go against her strict religious beliefs because of the life in which she has been leading since her matrimony to her husband. One passage that sums up many factions of Delia and Sykes’s relationship is as follows:

“She lay awake, gazing upon the debris that cluttered their matrimonial trail. Not an image left standing along the way. Anything like flowers had long ago been drowned in the salty stream that had been pressed from her heart. Her tears, her sweat, her blood. She had brought love to the union and he had brought a longing after the flesh. Two months after the wedding, he had given her the first brutal beating. She had the memory of his numerous trips to Orlando with all of his wages when he had returned to her penniless, even before the first year had passed. She was young and soft then, but now she thought of her knotty, muscles limbs, her

If Delia represents good, then Sykes represents evil, and could be seen as the Devil. Delia refers to both Sykes and the snake alike as devilish figures. Speaking about her husband, she states, “Whatever goes over the Devil’s back, is got to come under his belly. Sometime or ruther.” (Hurston 680). This statement goes along with the end of the story when Sykes’s plan to murder his wife backfires. He gets what is coming to him.

Although Sykes’ physical and emotional cruelty towards Delia brought her down further each day, his infidelity brought her through the floor. Even though their relationship had become non-existent, Delia still had to live each day knowing that her husband was with another woman. Going along with other religious imagery is another case found in the reading: “Delia’s work-worn knees crawled over the earth in Gethsemane and up the rocks of Calvary many, many times during these months.” (Hurston 683). Referring to the betrayal, trial, and the execution of Jesus in the bible, this passage is another example of how religion plays a major role in many aspects of Sweat.

er or not to save him. If she abides by the rules her church has laid out for her, she would undoubtedly make the attempt to avoid Sykes’ death, but she decides not to. Sykes’ inevitable death will occur that night.

Delia is aware of Sykes’s plans to take the house from her and use it for himself and his mistress Bertha, and she refuses to let that happen. With rage and anger towards her husband, Delia states, “That ole snaggle-tooth black woman you runnin’ with ain’t comin’ heah to pile up on mah sweat and blood. You ain’t paid for nothin’ on this place, and Ah’m gointer stay right heah till Ah’m toted out foot foremost.” (Hurston 680). Her home is all Delia has. She worked hard for years and years to build and maintain the house she loves, and the last thing she will ever allow to happen is for someone to take that away from her.

hter kill ‘im” (Hurston 682). Coming from an elder, the statement seems to have more credibility. The mentioning of killing Sykes foreshadows the conclusion of the book when his death is imminent. The men would believe Sykes would be getting what he deserves, as perhaps Delia tends to believe more and more as the story progresses.

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When Delia wakes up the first morning of the story, she is woken up by Sykes who has momentarily ruined her Eden by kicking her feet. In many instances throughout Sweat, Sykes represents the Devil breaking into and trying to destroy Delia’s Eden. When delving deep into this story, one is able to discover several examples of biblical imagery. Another example of a force of entry into Delia’s Eden can be seen when the snake is loose in the house. Of all the places the snake could have gone, Delia finds it in her basket; the one place in which her work is involved. This is the final stand for the distraught, run-down woman.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Delia Sykes’s, Christian Delia, Speaking Delia’s, Similarly Delia, Delia’s Eden, Sykes Sykes’, Hurston Delia’s, Bertha Knowing, Devil Delia, Sweat Delia, hurston 680, home delia, delia’s eden, snake loose, snake loose house, loose house, pressed heart tears, sykes represents, pressed heart, stream pressed, sykes snake, house sykes, round limp black”, stream pressed heart, salty stream pressed,

Approximate Word count = 2134
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English